Cushioning member for artificial dentures



Dec. 29, 1953 F. E. AVERY CUSHIONING MEMBER FOR ARTIFICIAL DENTURES Filed Feb. 20, 1952 [[WENTOR F R A N K E lqvnzy ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 29, i953 UNITED sures CUSHIONING MEMBER FQRABTIFICIAL. DENTUBES Frank E. Avery, Erie; ,l a".r Application February 20, 1952; SerialNo.'272,599"

( Clai-32-I-2):

8' Claims;

This invention relates generally to artificial:

dentures and more particularly to novel cushioning and sealing members for disposal between the contact portion of thedentures'and-thegums of the wearer thereof.

The material forming artificial dentures mu'stnecessarily be comparatively hard. Many times-,-

a denture is wearable with some degree-of comfort shortly after it is molded and-fittedintothe mouth and after the high spots are scrapedor ground therefrom; however, this comfort does hard and they do not give the denture wearer any more comfort than before because there is very little elasticity in the material and uponshrinkage of the gums, the dentures become loose. None of these prior cushioning members provide for changes in the size and contour of the gums. The surfaces of these cushioning members are comparatively unyielding. An attempt has been made to attach a diaphragm to the marginal edges of the contacting surfaces of artificial dentures in spaced relation from the contact surface thereof so as to form a chamber to. hold a fluid. It was found that this type of cushioning member permits tilting at the point of pressure. When biting on one side of the denture, it is tilted and fluid in the chamber formed between the diaphragm and the contact surface of the denture passes to the opposite side of the chamber from the point of pressure so that there is a hard unyielding surfacebetween the gum and contact surface of the denture as the pressure point inasmuch as the fluid at that point where pressure is applied is forced to another point in the chamber.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to overcome the above and other defects in cushioning and sealing members for dentures and it is more particularly an object of my invention to provide a cushioning and sealing member for a denture which is simple in construction, economical incost, economical in manufacture, and efiicient in operation.

Another object of my invention is toprovide a--cushion ing and sealing member for a denture which provides for changes in size-and contour of the gums ofthe wearer of the denture.-

Another object of-my" invention isto'-provid'e'-" a cushioning and sealing-member for a denture which prevents sliding of the denture andchat tering thereof.

Another object of myinvention is to'provi'dea cushioning and sealing member for a" denture which maintains asealed connection betweentlie" denture and the gum was to hold the denture in a predetermined position.

Another object of my invention is toprovide a cushioning and sealingmember fora denture which is extremely soft and yieldable and which i is easily replaceable;

Another objectof' my invention is to provide a cushioning and sealing member fora denture which maybe adapted for'use with old dentures without any change therein;

Other objects of my invention will become evi* dent from the following detailed" description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; in which Fig; 1 isa plan view of a lower denture with" my novel cushioning and sealingmem'bers' asso= ciated therewith;

Fig.2"is a view taken on the line 22 of Figql; Fig: 3'is a'plan view'of an upper aritfiicial: denture with my novel cushioning andsealing' members-associatedtherewith;

Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line44' of Fig.3:

Fig. 51s a view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3'; and

Fig. 6- isa'plan view of an upper artificial den-.- ture with a one piece cushioning and sealing member associated therewith.

Referring now to the drawings, I show in Figs. 1 and 2' a plurality of arcuate shaped, elongated; flexible; closed cushioning and sealing members I substantially U-shapedin. cross-section disposed in engagement with the contact ing'portion' Zof a lower plate or artificial den.-

ture 3'. Thecross sectionof the cushioning members I is shaped to conform to the shapeof The the gums of a wearer of the denture 3. ends of the cushioning members I preferablyoverlap each other at 4'so'as to provide a; continuous seal around the contacting surface of the lower denture 3-; however, it isnot necessary that' the cushioning members I overlap each other. It will be evident that the cushioning members -I may bem'adefiat and" bent orformed into the shape of'cross' section as" shown in Fig.

2 to correspond to the contour of the contacting surfaces of the artificial denture 3 and the gums of the wearer of the denture. The cushioning members I tend to shape themselves when they are in place in embracing relation with a denture. The cushioning members I are filled with any suitable type of fluid or semi-fluid such as water, air, gas, oil, paraflin, or any other suitable cushioning fluid or semi-fluid. The body of the cushioning members I is preferably made of a very soft elastic rubber or plastic composition but any other suitable soft pliable material may be utilized.

Th cushioning members I may be attached to the denture by any suitable adhesive. Because of the pliability of the cushioning members I, there is a sealing action produced with the surfaces in contact therewith so that it is not absolutely necessary to use an adhesive to attach them to the denture 3.

Any old denture may be made tight by adding my novel cushioning members I thereto after there has been a shrinkage of the gums. It is merely necessary to lay them in engagement with the Ushaped contacting surface 2 of a lower plate 3 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. I have shown three cushioning members I overlapping each other. More may be utilized. The reason for using more than one cushioning member is that it has been found that where only one cushioning member I is used in engagement with the contacting surface of a denture, when the denture is tilted by biting on one side thereof, fluid in the container passes to the opposite side thereof from the pressure point so that there is no fluid between the contacting surface of the denture and the gum at the pressure point, thereby resulting in sharp pain and discomfort to the wearer of the denture.

By providing a plurality of cushioningmembers as shown in the drawings, the pressure is only on one cushioning member which covers only a comparatively small area so that there is no place for the fluid to be transferred. This results in a soft, pliable comfortable cushion between the gums and the denture and also a perfect seal between the cushioning members and the denture and gum surfaces which it contacts.

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 show an upper plate or denture I2 with my arcuate, soft, pliable, closed cushioning and sealing members It disposed around the margin of the contacting surface I I of the upper denture I2 with the ends thereof in overlapping relationship so as to form a continuous seal with the margin of the contacting surface II of the denture I2. Overlapping is not necessary for the efiicient functioning of my cushioning members I 0. The members I comprise very thin bodied, soft, closed containers with a suitable fluid or semi-fluid therein such as air, water, gas, oil, parafiin, gum, or the like. The container is preferably made of a very soft pliable rubber or plastic composition; however, any other suitable material may be utilized. The cushioning members I0 may be attached to the upper plate I2 by any suitable adhesive if desired. The cushioning members I II are disposed in the conventional marginal groove in the upper plate I2 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and they are somewhat Ushaped in cross section to more nearl conform to the contour of the gums so as to make a more perfect fit between the gums and the cushioning members I0 and to provide a perfect seal therebetween. The cushioning members I0 extend completely around the margin ofthe contacting surface of the upper denture I2 and they sealingly engage the denture and gum surfaces, thereby creating a suction to hold the upper denture in place. The cushioning members It provide a soft pliable cushion as well as a seal.

In Fig. 6, I show an upper plate or denture 30 with a one piece container member 3I having a fluid or semi-fluid therein. The member I is shaped to cover the margin of the contacting portion of the plate or denture 30 to act as a cushioning and sealing member.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that I have provided novel cushioning and sealing members for artificial dentures which preferably comprise a plurality of elongated, soft, pliable separate containers made of an extremely flexible and elastic material filled with a fluid or semi-fluid, which need not be vulcanized or otherwise sealed or joined to a denture, which are easily placeable and replaceable, which reduce the possibility of complete collapse of the cushioning members because of the number of containers, which accept a load where the pressure is applied and do not permit the denture to rock or tip, and which provide an area On the upper denture that is sealed in but has no cushion to give a low pressure area necessary to hold an upper denture in position by suction.

Various changes may be made in the specific embodiment of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof or from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with an artificial denture, comparatively soft, pliable, filled, elongated closed container members disposed on the gum contacting surface of said denture, the ends of said container members overlapping each other.

2. In combination with an artificial denture, Ushaped, comparatively soft, pliable, filled, closed container members overlapping each other and engaging the contacting surface of the denture for sealingly engaging the gum of a wearer of the denture.

3. In combination with an upper denture, a plurality of comparatively soft, pliable, elongated, filled, closed container members disposed in engagement with the margin of the contacting surface of said denture, the ends of said container members being in overlapping sealing relationship.

4. In combination with an upper artificial denture, comparatively soft, pliable, elongated, filled, closed container members Ushaped in cross section aligned around the margin of the contacting surface of the denture for sealingly engaging the gums of a wearer of the denture.

5. A denture structure comprising a plate memher, a plurality of teeth carried by said plate member, said plate member having a contacting surface for contacting the gums of a person wearing the plate, and aligned, comparatively soft flexible inflated container members disposed on the contacting surface of said denture, said container members being generally Ushaped in cross section.

6. In a denture, the combination of structure having a plurality of teeth mounted thereon, a contacting surface substantially the contour of the gums of a wearer of said denture, and inflated, flexible, comparatively soft container members disposed on the contacting surface of said denture in overlapping relationship disposed between the gums of a person wearing the denture and the denture.

'7. In a denture as set forth in claim 6 wherein said container members are generally U-shaped in cross section.

8. In combination with an upper artificial denture, a comparatively soft, pliable, elongated, filled closed container member U-shaped in cross section disposed around the margin of the contacting surface of the denture for sealingly engaging the gums of a wearer of the denture.

FRANK E. AVERY.

6 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

